Needle-threader.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. BURNS, OF BANGOR, MAINE.

NEEDLE-THREADER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. BURNS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bangor, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Needle- Threader, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to needle threaders, and more particularly to adevice for facilitating the insertion of a thread through the eye'of asewing machine needle.

The particular object of the invention is to provide an attachment to besuspended from the needle threader support of a sewing machine. wherebythe threader may be swung into or out of operative position and providedwith means for extracting the thread after the same has been threadedthrough the eye of the needle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clamp adapted toembracethe lower extremity of a needle threader support and having lugsprovided with grooves transversely and longitudinally extending forholding the needle threader in either raised or lowered position.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a needlethreader which consists of comparatively few parts and is simple inconstruction, but durable and well adapted to withstand the rough usageto which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected.

For a full description of the invention and the advantages and meritsthereof, reference is to be had to the following description and theaccompanying drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of myinvention, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a device attached to a needlethreader support,

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionon the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the threader cone,

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the supporting clamp, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail perspective of one of the retaining armsof the hanger.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred formof my invention, and in which like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeralSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented J 119 19, 1917,

Application filed September 19, 1916.

Serial No. 121,047.

1 indicates the needle threader support of the usual type employedgenerally for supporting the needle threader of a sewing machine.Embracing the lower extremity of the needle threader support 1 is thesupporting clamp 3 of substantially circular formation; By referring toFig. 3 of the drawing, it will be observed that the needle threadersupport 1 is provided with a flat surface which receives the straightside arms 4 of the clamp 3. The ends of the side arms 4 terminate inclose proximity to each other and each are provided with longitudinalopenings, one being threaded for the reception of a clamp screw 5whereby the clamp may be tightly secured to the end of the support 1.Retaining lugs 6 are integrally formed with the arms 4 and are adaptedto support the hanger 7. The inner surface of each lug 6 is providedwith a horizontal groove 8, triangular in cross section, and a verticalgroove 9 also triangular in cross section extendsacross the horizontalgroove, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing.

The hanger 7 comprises the standard 10 carrying, at its upper end, thediverging retaining arms 11. The terminal of each re-' taining arm 11 isbent from the main portion of the arm and is'disposed vertically. Atongue 12 is integrally formed with the terminal of eachretaining arm 11and is adapted to be received by either one of the grooves Sand 9. Atthe center of each lug 6 and at the point at which the grooves 8 and 9cross each other is an aperture 13 for re ceiving the end of a pivot pin14 and the terminal of each retaining arm 11 together with the tongue12, is also provided with an aperture for receiving the pin 14 therebysuspending the hanger from the lugs 6.

The hanger 10 receives the attaching arm 15 which is integrally formedwith the threader cone 16. The interior of the cone is provided with atapered opening 17 the walls of which are curved so that the restrictedend of the cone is provided with a relatively small opening 18, whilethe opposite end thereof is comparatively large. A fastening screw 19 isextended through a slot 20 in the arm 10 of the hanger and has its endreceived by a screw-threaded opening 21 in the arm 15. Thisconstruction, by virtue of the slot 20, permits the threader cone to beslightly raised or lowered for alining the opening 18 with the eye ofthe needle. The wall of the cone has a longitudinal slit 22 extendingthe full length and completely through the wall.

In use, the device will be mounted as shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing andthe hanger swung on its pivot pin until the opening 17 in the threadercone is in horizontal alinement with the eye of the needle. A thread maythen be thrust through the threader cone at the large end thereof andthe curved wall will guide the end of the thread through the opening 18and through the eye of the needle. The thread may then be passed throughthe slit 22 thereby freeing the same from the threader. By swinging thehanger 7 on its pivot pin 14 to the position shown by dotted lines inFig; 1, the same will be held in inoperative position, the retainingarms 11 being resilient, permit the tongue 12 to be drawn out of thegroove 8 and snapped into the groove 9.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a very simple and durableneedle threader has been provided, the details of which embody thepreferred form. I desire it to be understood however, that slightchanges in the minor details of construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claimshereunto appended.

I claim:

1. A needle threader comprising a needle threader support carrying aneedle, a clamp embracing the said support and including straight sidearms engaged with aflat surface formed on the said support, the saidarms having openings formed therein, a fastening element received in theopenings for moving the said arms to tighten and loosen the said clamp,lugs extending in spaced relation from the said arms, suspending meanscarried by the arms and disposed in parallel relation to the needle, andmeans carried by the suspending means for re ceiving a thread to guidethe latter through the eye of the said needle.

2. A needle threader comprising a needle threader support carrying aneedle, a clamp embracing the said support and including straight sidearms engaged with a Hat surface formed on the said support, the saidarms having openings formed therein, a fastening element received in theopenings for moving the said arms to tighten and loosen the said clamp,lugs extending in spaced relation from the said arms, suspendin g meanscarried by the arms and disposed in parallel relation to the needle, thesaid suspending means including retaining arms, each having a tongueformed on its outer face, the said lugs being provided with verticalandhorizontal grooves for the reception of the said tongues when the said;suspending meansis rotated to either avertical or a horizontal position,and a thread receiving cone mounted on the end of the said suspendingmeans.

3. A needle threader comprising a clamp provided with side arms havingterminals arranged in close proximity, an adjusting screw for directingthe approximate ends of the said side arms toward each other, each ofthe side arms carrying a lug having a horizontal and a verticalgroove, ahanger suspended from the said lugs and having its upper end providedwith diverging arms, and tongues carried by the arms and adapted to bemoved into either of said grooves on each lug.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM D. BURNS.

Witnesses JOHN E. KENNEDY, J. WILLIAM LIBBEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I); C.

